the 2009

VANGUARD

awards

sponsored by

KALYN RISKER

Kalyn Risker is an experienced Human Resource Manager and is the Founder and Executive Director of Sisters Acquiring Financial Empowerment (SAFE).

Risker is a single mother of two daughters and is a survivor of domestic abuse. In 1998, she was beaten until her eye socket required reconstructive surgery. After separating from her abuser, she earned her Bachelors of Business Administration/Human Resource Management from Davenport University.

Risker is a Human Resource professional with over ten years experience in recruitment and retention, compliance, compensation, payroll & benefits administration and is currently attending Central Michigan University for her Masters of Science in Human Resource Administration.

Risker founded SAFE in May 2006 with the mission to equip survivors of domestic violence with the appropriate financial tools and resources needed to enable women to leave or recover from the economic portion of domestic violence. SAFE has an accomplished background of actively providing economic empowerment and access to community resources to over 240 survivors of domestic violence in the Southeastern Michigan community, since May 2006.

SAFE is a part of several anti-violence initiatives within Southeastern Michigan including, Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Women of Color Taskforce, Wayne County Council Against Family Violence, Transformation Detroit and Arise Detroit. SAFE has also sponsored and participated in various domestic violence community awareness outreach initiatives. Risker is a sought after national speaker regarding economic strategies for survivors of domestic violence.